Not the day I planned

My days are rarely tightly planned and today was no exception. Still, I didn’t want today to include what it did.

Things started fine. I dumped the trash in a public receptacle and then had a fresh everything bagel with cream cheese from the Good Life Cafe & Bakery. Then I parked at the Mendocino Headlands overlook and took a walk before doing some reading.

After a few hours I went back into town and took some photos of a Dr. Seuss-like plant and some succulents.

Then I hopped back into the Rolling Steel Tent to park in a better spot, and… Nothing. I turned the key but the starter didn’t start. I tried again. And again. Ergh.

Was my new battery too low? I got out the jumper cables, connected one end to my house electrical system and the other to the battery and… still nothing. Not even a click. Eeerrrrrrgh.

Hitting a starter can sometimes make it work. It didn’t.  

Maybe it was a blown fuse or a bad relay. Maybe a critter had nibbled a wire.

I didn’t want to mess with it anymore. So I called for a tow truck. It came from Fort Bragg and arrived 15 minutes later.

The tow truck guy was cheerful (perhaps thinking of the money he was about to make) and said, “Let me check some things first.”

He made sure the battery cables were tight. That didn’t help. He attached his jump pack. That didn’t help. He crawled under the van and arced the starter connection. The starter spun but didn’t engage. “Looks like the Bendix isn’t working.”

I had heard of the Bendix and knew it was part of the starter, but I wasn’t sure about what it did. I googled it while the guy got ready to load the van. Ah, yes, it’s what slides the starter gear out to engage the flywheel, which turns the engine. I’ll need a new starter. (Did they install a new starter with the new engine, or reuse the old one to save me some money?)

Then, out of habit and fidgeting, I turned the key once again and, vroom! Both the tow truck guy and I were surprised. Magic!

“Maybe spinning the starter moved things around so the Bendix works again.”

I replied, “Maybe, but I’m reluctant to turn the engine off. So, how much do I owe you?”

“That depends. Do you have AAA?”

“No.”

He shrugged. “Then nothing.”

“Are you sure?”

”We’re good.”

I didn’t argue. I looked up mechanics in Fort Bragg instead and made some calls. Three places I talked to couldn’t fit me in for several weeks. One shop said maybe, but they closed a 4:00 (it was a little after 3:00) and wouldn’t be open until Monday morning.

So, what would be the best thing to do?

I drove to Fort Bragg and talked to the mechanic who had said might be able to fit me in. I left the van running while I explained I was traveling and that the van was my home. He said to come first thing Monday and he’d see what he could do.

Okay, so there was that. What should I do until then? I found a nearby spot where I could streetdock the next few days. Then I took a deep breath, tried to get my head in a good place, and… turned off the engine. Then, of course, I tried turning it on again. Ah, it worked. This time. I’ll see what Monday morning brings.